Title: Recent studies in the behavioral toxicology of ELF electric and magnetic fields

Abstract

Behavioral responses to ELF electric and magnetic fields are reviewed starting with the simple sensory awareness or detection by an animal and moving on through more-complicated behavioral responses such as behavior that averts exposure. The literature selected in this review is taken primarily from the area of behavioral toxicology. As such, it does not review work on specialized response systems to ELF fields. The most notable of these omitted specialized response systems are electroreception, which occurs in a number of fish species, and homing/navigation and communication of the location of food that occurs in several species of birds and in honeybees, respectively. The toxicologic orientation of most researches that evaluate the effects of exposure to ELF electric and magnetic fields has been influenced primarily by the missions of DOE and the power industry programs to determine the health effects of power frequency (50- and 60-Hz) electric and magnetic fields. Because of these large programmatic efforts, most of the recent research has in fact been done at 50 or 60 Hz. In the context of the above limitations, remarkably few robust behavioral effects have been reported. Those that have been reported probably relate to an animal's perception of the electric field,more » although there are some exceptions to this generalization. The apparent lack of deleterious effects in animals is consistent with recent studies on humans that have been conducted in the UK. With this in mind, it is tempting to conclude that exposure to an ELF field is a rather innocuous event and, other than possible mini-shocks, is without hazard. 43 references.« less

@article{osti_5163831,
title = {Recent studies in the behavioral toxicology of ELF electric and magnetic fields},
author = {Lovely, R.H.},
abstractNote = {Behavioral responses to ELF electric and magnetic fields are reviewed starting with the simple sensory awareness or detection by an animal and moving on through more-complicated behavioral responses such as behavior that averts exposure. The literature selected in this review is taken primarily from the area of behavioral toxicology. As such, it does not review work on specialized response systems to ELF fields. The most notable of these omitted specialized response systems are electroreception, which occurs in a number of fish species, and homing/navigation and communication of the location of food that occurs in several species of birds and in honeybees, respectively. The toxicologic orientation of most researches that evaluate the effects of exposure to ELF electric and magnetic fields has been influenced primarily by the missions of DOE and the power industry programs to determine the health effects of power frequency (50- and 60-Hz) electric and magnetic fields. Because of these large programmatic efforts, most of the recent research has in fact been done at 50 or 60 Hz. In the context of the above limitations, remarkably few robust behavioral effects have been reported. Those that have been reported probably relate to an animal's perception of the electric field, although there are some exceptions to this generalization. The apparent lack of deleterious effects in animals is consistent with recent studies on humans that have been conducted in the UK. With this in mind, it is tempting to conclude that exposure to an ELF field is a rather innocuous event and, other than possible mini-shocks, is without hazard. 43 references.},
doi = {},
journal = {Prog. Clin. Biol. Res.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 257,
place = {United States},
year = 1988,
month = 1
}

Behavioral measures were evaluated in adult CD-1 and LAF-1 mice continuously exposed for 72 h to a 1.5-Tesla (1 T = 10/sup 4/ Gauss) homogeneous DC magnetic field, and in LAF-1 mice continuously exposed for 72 h to a sinusoidal 60-Hz, 1.65-mT (rms) homogeneous AC field. Three types of behavioral tests were employed: (1) memory of an electroshock-motivated passive avoidance task was assessed in animals that had been trained immediately prior to the field exposure. The strength of memory was varied either by altering the strength of the electric footshock during training, or by administering a cerebral protein synthesis inhibitor,more » anisomycin, at the time of training. (2) General locomotor activity was measured using a quadrant-crossing test immediately after termination of the magnetic field exposure. (3) Sensitivity of the experimental subjects to the seizure-inducing neuropharmacological agent, pentylenetetrazole, was assessed immediately after the field exposure on the basis of three criteria: (a) the percentage of subjects exhibiting a generalized seizure, (b) the mean time to seizure, and (c) the mean seizure level. The results of these studies revealed no behavior alterations in exposed mice relative to controls in any of the experimental tests with the 1.5-T DC field or the 60-Hz, 1.65-mT (rms) AC field. 57 references, 6 figures, 1 table.« less

Behavioral toxicology represents a relatively new research area in the West, and a new source of information pertinent to standard setting. Despite this abbreviated history, however, it can call on a rather advanced technology, largely provided by the rapid and extensive development of behavioral pharmacology during the past two decades. As exemplified by the U.S. contribution to the joint study of carbon disulfide, the approach derived from this background relies on the acquisition of dose-effect data with a preparation yielding stable baseline performance. The first study in this collaborative series employed pigeons trained to peck a response device consisting ofmore » a transilluminated plastic disk. Various relationships between this response and the occasions on which it led to the delivery of food were explored in order to ascertain which behavioral variables were most sensitive to acute exposures. In addition, a central nervous system drug, whose neurochemical mode of action is believed to parallel that of carbon disulfide, was tested in the same preparations. Further research on these questions is being continued with monkeys.« less

Here, in this contribution we use nonconventional methods that help to increase the success rate of a protein crystal growth, and consequently of structural projects using X-ray diffraction techniques. In order to achieve this purpose, this contribution presents new approaches involving more sophisticated techniques of protein crystallization, not just for growing protein crystals of different sizes by using electric fields, but also for controlling crystal size and orientation. Also, this latter was possible through the use of magnetic fields that allow to obtain protein crystals suitable for both high-resolution X-ray and neutron diffraction crystallography where big crystals are required. Thismore » contribution discusses some pros, cons and realities of the role of electromagnetic fields in protein crystallization research, and their effect on protein crystal contacts. Additionally, we discuss the importance of room and low temperatures during data collection. Finally, we also discuss the effect of applying a rather strong magnetic field of 16.5 T, for shorts and long periods of time, on protein crystal growth, and on the 3D structure of two model proteins.« less

Rats partially deprived of food were trained individually to press a lever in the presence of a vertical, 60-Hz electric field and not to press in its absence. Correct detections that occurred during brief, 3- or 4-s trials occasionally produced a food pellet. The probability of detecting the field was found to increase as field strength increased. The threshold of detection, ie, the field strength required for detections at a probability of 0.5 after correction for errors, was generally between 4 and 10 kV/m. The range of field strengths between almost zero and almost 100% correctness of detection was approximatelymore » 8 kV/m. A logistic function provided a good description of the increase in the detection probability with increasing field strength. These performances occurred reliably in 19 rats, some of which were studied for 2 years. Control procedures showed that the behavior required that the rat be in the electric field; the behavior was not controlled by any of several potentially confounding variables.« less